Chicken-brooder.



C. W. BEHRENS.

CHICKEN BROODER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8, NH?!- 1,179,269. Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

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' /8 kar/es fife/Z1603 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0, WASHINGTON, D. c.

C. W. BEHRENS.

CHICKEN saoooza.

, APPLICATiON FILED SEPT B, I913. 1,179,269. Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

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INVENTOR.

/ 1 6/7ar/esflf 58/9/6175 omey THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. YD. c.

CHARLES BEHRENS, or LANCASTER, onto.

CHICKEN-BROOTDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

Application filed se temter s, 1913. Serial no. 788,700.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. BEHRENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Fairfield and Stateiof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chicken-Brooders; and I. do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n chicken-coops generally, more especially that type termed brooders for chicks.

The invention has for its object to facilitate and promote the care or raising especially of chicks, particularly in the following particulars: By quaran'tining or isolat ing the roosts at night, more especially for the protection of the chicks against the ravages of rats and the like. By suitably accommodating or dividing up or separating the chicks with the view of preventing overcrowding. By providing for the ready and easy removal and replacing or handling of the chicks. By providing for the ready and effective cleaning of the'coop and its maintenance in a thoroughly sanitary condition. By making provision for the thorough or effective ventilation of the coop. By rendering the chicks immune from vermin, such as infest chickencoops. By providing a knock-down coop for portability and facility in shipping and storing the same.

A still further object of the invention is to carry out the aforesaid ends in a "simple, economical and expeditious manner.

The invention consists of certain instrumentalities and features of construction substantially as hereinafter fully disclosed and defined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing is illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention wherein it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made as relate'to the detailed construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and in which drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved brooder chicken-coop. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the closure or top removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of or construct a coop 1' suitably gotten up of separable or knockdown sections 2, preferably constituted of spaced-apart slats or members, each section having its base orlower portion preferably reinforced with transverse boards or imperforate members 3 along one side and its ends, the remaining side at that point having only a horizontal or transverse strip 1 secured thereto so as to leave a space or opening there-below 5 through which the coop may be cleaned as presently seen. Staples and hooks 6 and 7, respectively, are applied to the imperforate members or boards 3 and strips 4, the hooks being right-angled to reach around the corners and engage the staples. The sections 2 aforesaid have attached to their upper ends transverse or horizontal strips 8, which strips are, however, not connected to each other, the same also reinforcing those points.

A suitable closureor top 9, preferably in the form of a roof, is suitably-supplied to the body-portion of the coop, the resultant of the above described sections, said roof or closure having base-strips 10 at its respective sides and ends resting upon the upper edges of the strips 8 of said body forming sections, the lateral or side-strips 10 having secured thereto an additional strip 11 terminati'ng in handle-forming extensions 12 for the convenient lifting off and on of the closure or roof 9. The roof or closure 9 has a preferably upwardly extending ventilat0rchute 13 about centrally in its ridge or apex portion, said Ventilator chute having horizontally hung or pivoted valves 14 for controlling the air circulation in the brooder when elevated, as will be more apparent later. The roof or top 9 has a suitably closed opening 15 therein through which convenient access may be had to the chicks for their removal and replacement as oocasion may require, the closure for said opening being designated as 16 and suitably hinged to the roof or top 9.

A brooding chamber 17 of general traylike construction having preferably upwardly flared or inclined sides and ends is supplied to the chamber of the body-portion of the coop for receiving the chicks. S aid chamber has an auxiliary or supplementary bottom 18 of suitable material, wood, cardboard or the like, which bottom is readily removable through one side of said chamber to provide for the convenient disposi of such compartment or compartments. Or

possibly it may be more properly stated that where it may be found that in event of the tendency of the crowding, or rather overcrowding, of any one of the compartments the partitions 20 of pieces of suitable material, as board or the like, arranged in the brooding chamber, may be readily adjusted therein by slipping the upper edge endwise extensions or projections 21 of said partitions along the upper edges of the lateral walls of said chamber and be suitably held against displacement by suitably provided turn-buttons 21 The end and lateral walls of the brooding chamber and the partitions 20 may all be, or rather are, suitably lined or padded as at 22 and 24;, respectively, for attracting the vermin, such as infest fowl, from the chicks thereto as is well understood, thus rendering the chicks immune thereto and accordingly promoting the care thereof.

The brooding chamber 17 is adapted to be suitably adjusted into an elevated position to protect the chicks from the ravages of rats or other rodents, especially at nights, preferably by means of a sling-like contrivance 25 including looped flexible connections of twine or wire 26 with their ends secured to the end-walls of the brooding chamber, said flexible connections being secured together about centrally and having the centrally secured-together portion caught or suspended preferably by a hook or eye 27 at the lower end of a second flexible connection of twine or wire 28 passing over a pulley 29 suitably hung in the ridge or apex portion of the roof or cover 9, the free end of the flexible connection or member 28 betion, to displace the impure or foul airtherein and thus promote sanitary conditions and accordingly the condition of the chicks, the amount of air admitted being controlled by the ventilating valves 14.

A reticulated or woven-wire receptacle 30 may be provided and disposed adjacent to the chicken-coop and adapted to be brought into communication therewith as a recreative chamber or annex of the coop, as will be readily appreciated.

I claim:

1. A device of the type described, includ ing an inclosure having a brooding chamber provided with compartment forming partitions having lateral or end extensions adapted to rest upon the upper edges of the lateral walls of said brooding chamber, and

turn-buttons applied to the inclosure and engaging said extensions.

2. A device of the type described, including a chicken-coop having an apex-roof whose apex has an air-circulating passage about centrally therethrough, a brooding chamber, and suspending means for said brooding chamber comprising a sling-like flexible connection formed of looped members with their ends secured to the end-walls of said brooding chamber, and a further flexible member having hooked connection about centrally with the aforesaid flexible connection and extending over a rotary bearing hung about centrally of the apex of said chicken-coop roof, said chicken-coop having air-circulating passages arranged laterally of said brooding chamber.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. BEHRENS.

lVitnesses C. MAE Groom), C. HUGH DUFFY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

